Container



Jan. 22, 1963 LASHER 3,074,545

CONTAINER Filed June 16 1961 {NVEN'TOR oEg AR J. LASHER BY #ao u.

- ATTQRNEY.

Stts

This invention relates to containers, and more particularly to a container for a cartridge enclosing spools on which an inked ribbon is wound.

There is shown in US. Patent 2,986,260, issued May 30, 1961, to W. B. Whippo, a cartridge having a single chamber in which two spools are rotatably supported at their ends in top and bottom walls. An inked ribbon is wound at its ends on the two spools and extends between them through slots in a side wall of the cartridge. The ends of the spools are in alignment with openings in the top and bottom walls through which connections may be made to driving means. For handling and shipping of the cartridges, it is necessary that they be enclosed in containers. Since a section of the inked ribbon extends along the outer side of a wall of the cartridge, it is necessary that the latter be held against movement in the container and in a position with clearance between the section of inked ribbon and the container to prevent ink from being rubbed off on its walls. It is also necessary to provide means for holding the spools against rotation within the cartridge so the ribbon does not become unwound during shipping.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved container.

Another object is to provide a container for a cartridge enclosing spools upon which an inked ribbon is wound, the ribbon extending between the spools through slots in the side of the cartridge, and the spools being freely rotatable on axes which are in alignment with openings in the cartridge.

Still another object is to provide a container having means for holding a ribbon cartridge in a position with clearance between it and the walls of the container, and also having means for preventing rotation of spools within the cartridge.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an improved container in which a ribbon cartridge is enclosed.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 22 in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings it will be noted that there is shown an improved container, generally designated 1, made of a transparent plastic-like material. If desired, it could be made as well from an opaque material which is capable of being formed in the manner shown. The main body of the container comprises a top wall 2 having side walls 3 formed integral therewith. A flange 4 is formed integral with the lower edge of the side walls and extends outwardly from the latter in a horizontal plane at both its ends and sides. The edges of the flange along the sides of the container are folded under at 5, as shown in FIG. 2, to form grooves in which the edges of a plate 6 may be slidably received for closing the bottom of the container.

The cartridge 8 to be enclosed within the container has, as shown in FIG. 2, a top wall 9, a bottom wall 10, and a side wall 11 joined at their edges to form a single 3,074,545 Patented Jan. 22, 1963 enclosed chamber 12. Arranged within the chamber are two spools 13 which are supported for rotation on axes extending perpendicular to the top and bottom walls. An opening 16 extends axially through each of the spools and presents opposite flat surfaces which may be engaged by a driving member for eflecting rotation. Formed in the top and bottom walls of the cartridge are openings 17 and 18 in axial alignment with the opening 16. At the lower end of each spool is a reduced portion 20 which is rotatably received within the opening 18. An inked ribbon 21 is wound at one end on one of the spools 13 and then extends through a slot in the side wall at one end of the cartridge. It passes along one side of the cartridge, as shown in FIG. 1, and then enters a slot in the side wall at the opposite end of the cartridge to be wound on the other spool 13. When the cartridge is in use on a typewriter, a driving spindle extends through one or both of the openings 17 and 18 to engage each of the spools through the sides of the opening 16.

During handling and shipping of cartridges, it is desirable that they be held within the containers 1 in positions which provide clearance between the inked ribbon 21 shown in FIG. 1 and the adjacent sides of the container. It is also desirable that the spools 13 be held against rotation so the ribbon does not become unwound. This is accomplished herein by forming in the top wall 2 of the container two portions 22 which project downwardly in such positions that they extend through the openings 17 and into the openings 16 when the cartridge is properly positioned within the container. A part 24 of each projecting portion is formed to fit snugly within the opening 17 for holding the cartridge against transverse movements relative to the container, and a lower reduced part 25 of each projecting portion is received within the opening 16 for holding the spool 13. It will be noted in FIG. 1 that the projecting part 25 is rectangular in cross section so it acts on the fiat surfaces at opposite sides of the opening 16 for holding the spool both against rotation and transverse movements.

While there has been shown and described in this application one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that it may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A container for a cartridge enclosing a pair of spools on which the ends of an inked ribbon are wound, the ribbon passing from the spools through slots in a wall of the cartridge and extending along one side of the latter, said spools having openings extending axially thereof into communication with openings in said cartridge, said container comprising, in combination, top, bottom and side walls cooperating with each other to form a single enclosed chamber of such dimensions as to enclose said cartridge with a clearance around the sides thereof, projecting portions extending inwardly from a wall of said container through said openings in said cartridge and into said openings in said spools, each of said projecting portions having a base portion fitting within its corresponding opening in said cartridge for holding the latter against movement transversely of said container and an end portion fitting within an axial opening in one of said spools for holding the latter against rotation.

2. The container of claim 1 in which said base portion of each of said inwardly projecting portions is circular in cross section and said end portion is rectangular in cross section.

3. The container of claim 1 in which said top and side walls are formed integral with each other and said projecting portions are formed in said top wall, a flange 3 4- formed integral with said side walls and extending nor- References Cited in the file of this patent mal thereto at their lower edges, said flange being folded UNITED STATES PATENTS under at its outer edge to form guide slots extending along the sides of said container,-and a plate slidably received 2,106,726 Draegef 1933 at its edges in said slots for closing said container and 5 2,681,731 ct'lambsfs 111116 1954 2,844,246 Kingsley July 22, 1958 forming the bottom wall thereof. 

1. A CONTAINER FOR A CARTRIDGE ENCLOSING A PAIR OF SPOOLS ON WHICH THE ENDS OF AN INKED RIBBON ARE WOUND, THE RIBBON PASSING FROM THE SPOOLS THROUGH SLOTS IN A WALL OF THE CARTRIDGE AND EXTENDING ALONG ONE SIDE OF THE LATTER, SAID SPOOLS HAVING OPENINGS EXTENDING AXIALLY THEREOF INTO COMMUNICATION WITH OPENINGS IN SAID CARTRIDGE, SAID CONTAINER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, TOP, BOTTOM AND SIDE WALLS COOPERATING WITH EACH OTHER TO FORM A SINGLE ENCLOSED CHAMBER OF SUCH DIMENSIONS AS TO ENCLOSE SAID CARTRIDGE WITH A CLEARANCE AROUND THE SIDES THEREOF, PROJECTING PORTIONS EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM A WALL OF SAID CONTAINER THROUGH SAID OPENINGS IN SAID CAR- 